The Fox-1A Engineering Unit transponder was on the air at 2014 Space Symposium. Attendees were able to work each other through the transponder and pose for pictures while holding the actual engineering unit. In addition, the slow speed telemetry that accompanies every voice ID beacon and transponder conversation was being received, decoded, and displayed for all to see.
32nd Space Symposium and Annual Meeting
October 10-12, 2014
Baltimore, Maryland
• Board of Directors meeting on October 9 and morning of October 10.
• Technical presentations on satellite design/operating begin the afternoon of October 10 and continue October 11.
• Meet AMSAT Officers and Board members.
• Meet and greet fellow satellite operators.
• Satellites on display.
• Annual general meeting afternoon of October 10.
• Saturday evening annual banquet with door prizes.
• Sunday morning Area Coordinator’s breakfast.
• Sunday ARISS Operations Team meeting.
• Sunday and Monday tours.
Hotel: DoubleTree by Hilton — Baltimore – BWI Airport
890 Elkridge Landing Rd, Linthicum, Maryland, 21090
Phone: 410-859-8400
Ask For: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation Group or use the Code: RAS
AMSAT Special Room Rate—$99.00 per night
(The block of rooms will be held until September 17th. After that date, rooms may be available, but at a significantly higher rate.)
$10 Breakfast Buffet Coupons—Full Hot and Cold Breakfast*
FREE Parking
FREE WiFi
Free Airport and Close-in Transportation
Easy Train/Light Rail Service to Baltimore Inner Harbor & D.C. Metro
Walking distance to National Electronics Museum
Special Guest Presentations
*Purchase at check-in
A registration form for the Symposium and all events may be download here.
2014 AMSAT Symposium Registration Form
On line registration may be found on the AMSAT Store.
Details on the various tours and social activities.
Greetings Amateur Radio in Space Enthusiasts!
At this year’s AMSAT Space Symposium, we are trying a few new things and we hope you will enjoy them. One exciting facet we are adding this year is an auction. All proceeds from the auction will support AMSAT’s two major initiatives—the development and launch of the FOX satellite series and the ARISS program.
As we prepare for the auction, we are asking for your help in donating specialty items for auction (minimum value $100) that will attract symposium attendee’s attention and get them bidding up the item price. If you have any items that are ham related (no boat anchors please), items of historical value, space related and/or autographed items, or even sports tickets or time shares, we would love to get your donations. Think out of the box on this—what exciting things would you like to see in this auction?
If you have something to donate to the Symposium auction, please send an e-mail to Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, who will work with you on getting your item or items into the auction. Frank’s e-mail address is ka3hdo at verizon.net
This auction, while adding a fun experience to the AMSAT Space Symposium experience, will also serve to keep amateur radio’s spirit thriving in space through its donations to FOX and ARISS.
On behalf of AMSAT, I thank you for your donations in advance. And I encourage each of you to attend and participate in this year’s AMSAT Space Symposium to be held in Baltimore Maryland Oct 10-12. For more information, see:
http://www.amsat.org/wordpress/?page_id=1555
73 from Your Symposium Committee Co-Chairs:
Frank Bauer, KA3HDO and Janet Bauer
From an email to AMSAT-bb email list today:
Dear Friends,
With heavy heart, I sadly convey, that our little angel ‘HAMSAT VO-52’ would no more be able to offer her services to the ‘Amateur Radio Fraternity. HAMSAT VO-52 succumbed in Space on 11th July 2014, while she was on her 49,675th orbit, due to the failure of on-board lithium ion batteries that have met their end of life.
Although her desires were to be at work with other systems and sub-systems working normal as per the latest telemetry received, the on-board computer recurring to ‘Reset’ mode due to the failure of batteries is preventing her to do so. Hence, it is decided not to expect any more meaningful and reliable services from HAMSAT VO-52.
Since 11th July, every best possible effort has been put in by the spacecraft controllers here in ISTRAC Bangalore to revive her back to life and to help her with work load, so she won’t be swamped when she returns, but with no luck. Though it is hard, the HAMSAT VO-52 designers and controllers insist that the time has come to let the little angel free in space to go drifting on her own from their care and custody.
Thus, today 21st July 2014, ISRO have decommissioned ‘HAMSAT-VO52’
We all here in ISRO do definitely hope that ‘HAMSAT VO-52’ worked tirelessly and was a good friend to the ‘Amateur Radio Fraternity’
around the World. We are sure that HAMSAT was loved by all who worked through her. Though, we are deeply saddened by the loss of HAMSAT VO-52, but she will never be forgotten and far from our hearts, minds and memories.
HAMSAT VO-52 will always be remembered by all of us here in ISRO as one of the greatest satellites of ours.
Dear ‘HAMSAT’, looking at the sky, we all say ‘Good Bye’ to you.
You’ll be greatly missed. Rest in Peace.
Nevertheless, at this point of time, on behalf of the World Amateur Radio Fraternity, we thank each and everyone who contributed to the great success of ‘HAMSAT’.
Particularly, our sincere thanks to the Chairman ISRO, Dr. K.
Radhakrishnan, past chairmen Dr. Kasthurirangan, Dr. G. Madhavan Nair, Director-ISAC Dr. S.K.Shiva Kumar, past ISAC Directors Dr. P.S. Goel, Dr.
Shankara, Dr. T.K. Alex, Director-ISTRAC Shri. B.S. Chandrasekhar, scientific secretary Dr. Koteshwar Rao, Project Director-Shri. J.P. Gupta, Deputy project Directors, Mission Director-Shri. R.Suresh, Operations Director-Shri. Parimalarangan and each and every person directly or in-directly contributed.
At this point of time, we also thank AMSAT-India and in particular, late Shri. Nagesh Upadhyaya-VU2NUD, Shri. B.S. Gajendra Kumar-VU2BGS, Shri.
Prathap Kumar-VU2POP, Air Commodore. Subramanian-VU2UV, Shri. V.P.
Sandlas-VU2VP, Dr.R. Ramesh-VU2RMS, Shri. Nitin-VU3TYG, Mr. Williams Leijenaar PE1RAH and each and every member.
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Pasted below is the message from Mr. R. Suresh, Mission Director:
HAMSAT, the first small satellite by ISRO has been Decommissioned after nearly a decade of service to the World Ham community.
A true masterpiece among small satellites, designed for one year mission life, but exceeded all expectations by serving for almost 10 years. A truly autonomous satellite, with “Zero maintenance“ in terms of Mission operations, it provided a springboard to test many new concepts such as BMU. LI-ion based power system, automatic Spin rate control and Auto SAOC for maintaining the Satellite attitude without any ground commanding.
HAMSAT known as “OSCAR-52” among the Amateur HAM operators has been very popular because of its high sensitivity receiver and strong transmitter. Indian Radio Amateurs on many occasions conveyed to us that they have been greatly honored to share the adulations showered on ISRO and INDIA by the International Radio Amateur for gifting this wonderful satellite “HAMSAT”.
I take this opportunity to applaud the HAMSAT teams at ISAC, ISTRAC and other centre for their efforts and support, which has made ISRO proud among the HAM users across the globe.
R,SURESH
MISSION DIRECTOR
HAMSAT
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Mani [VU2WMY/KJ6LRS]
Secretary & Station-In-Charge
Upagrah Amateur Radio Club VU2URC
ISRO Satellite Centre
HAL Airport Road, Bangalore-560 017.
